Von der Leyen condemns violence as Georgia's parliament passes 'Russian law'

euronews (in English)

Critics fear it could be used to stifle the press and non-governmental organisations and derail the country’s chances of joining the European Union. Georgia has been a candidate country since December 2023.

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00:00 EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has condemned the police response to ongoing

00:07 protests in Georgia after parliament passed a controversial foreign influence transparency

00:13 law.

00:17 The bill, which was passed on its second reading, requires media and non-commercial organizations

00:23 to register as pursuing the interests of a foreign power if they receive more than 20

00:29 percent of their funding from abroad.

00:32 In a post on X, von der Leyen said she was following clashes between police and protesters

00:37 with great concern.

00:42 She said, "The Georgian people want a European future for their country. Georgia is at a

00:47 crossroads. It should stay the course on the road to Europe."

00:55 Critics fear the law could be used to stifle the press and derail the country's chances

00:59 of joining the European Union.

01:03 One poll puts support for membership among Georgia's population as high as 81 percent.

01:10 We want to be part of the EU, so that's why they need to be extremely authoritarian, totalitarian,

01:18 violent against the people. But it has its limits. You cannot rule the country which

01:22 is against you all the time.

01:26 Supporters of the bill, proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream Party, say it's necessary to

01:31 ensure transparency and national sovereignty.

01:36 President Salome Zubishvili has vowed to veto the bill, but the ruling party can override

01:41 that veto by collecting 76 votes.

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